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About the Author

Talia Sternberg is a junior Integrated Marketing Communications major who loves to get organized! E-mail her at: tsternb1@ithaca.edu.

Now that I live in a Circle Apartment—with a full kitchen—I don’t have to worry about a meal plan. I loved the community aspect of the dining halls, but I still wanted to cook. I lived in a dorm my freshman and sophomore years, and I can tell you from first hand experience that it’s not hard to be a “dorm room chef.”

Every residence hall has a full kitchen. The trick is finding it. Visit your area office (For BRT it’s in Talcott and for the Lower Quads it’s Eastman). If you’re still unsure, ask your RA where it is, and you will be pointed in the right direction. You will find a variety of cooking utensils you can check out. If you like cooking in a full kitchen this is a great opportunity to do so.

If you’re like the majority of college students who has no desire to lug all your ingredients and cooking utensils up 3 flights up stairs every time you want to cook, don’t fret. You can still make a variety of meals just using your microwave. If you do plan on cooking, whether it’s in the dorm kitchen or in your dorm, I suggest you keep a few things in your room: a fork, knife, spoon, a few bowls, plates and cups, as well as whatever ingredients you might need to cook your desired meal.

The mini fridge/freezer comes in handy for keeping food fresh. I usually stocked mine with fruits, veggies, and other healthy snacks. As far as the freezer goes I always had some frozen dinners, bagels, Hot Pockets, and chicken nuggets. Easy Mac (a favorite of mine) is also a microwave-ready meal. If you’re not in the mood to cook a full meal or you just need a fast fix these are all tasty and easy solutions.

If you do have the time and desire to make a full meal that’s more than possible! Ramen soup is simple, and if you’re feeling creative add some veggies or meat.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can make a full chicken/eggplant parmesan dinner using your microwave. Believe it or not, you can cook pasta with hot water in a microwave. It takes some time, but it is possible.

Heat up your chicken nuggets/frozen breaded eggplant. Throw it on top of your cooked pasta and add sauce and some cheese. Heat it up for another minute and you’ve completed your microwavable Italian feast. Bon Appetit!

Now it’s time for dessert. You can always keep a pint of your favorite ice cream in the freezer, but if you’re finding that this isn’t satisfying your sweet tooth don’t worry!

There are plenty of simple microwavable dessert recipes online. Brownies in a mug anyone?

In general, if you are looking for some easy recipes, Google search “dorm cooking.”